Admiral?
by Starsinger
Summary: Well, you can't blame Starfleet for trying! Fortunately, this time, Jim has more sense.


**Admiral?**

by Starsinger

**Five year mission ended, and, to Jim's absolute horror, the absolute worst happens. If I'm not mistaken, Troi was Deanna's father's name, who was human. So, I made one up. No, don't own them.**

Jim sat at his desk, contemplating his cup of coffee. He really only indulged in alcohol occasionally, and never when he was on duty, or soon to be on duty, but coffee was a definite indulgence. Various papers were scattered across his desk. A promotion for Uhura here, needed to get that to her, Lieutenant Commander was much nicer than Lieutenant, especially in relation to Spock, commendation for an Ensign there. Ensign Cllmrt, obviously not human, had single-handedly saved every member of an away mission, and stayed alive.

Jim grinned, Spock needed his own ship, he'd recommended that promotion and awaited the word. They were headed back to Earth, and even managed a stop at Vulcan II to visit with Sarek and Spock Prime. The old Spock was still going strong, and even managed, with his wife Saavik, to build their own home and take in visitors when they presented themselves. Long years of living among humans made them the obvious hub of visitors who wanted to approach the Vulcan government.

No one knew how much longer this would last, both Saavik and Spock were very elderly, even with regards to Vulcans, Sarek had come to terms with this version of his son, and welcomed both of them with satisfaction. He learned from them what he could about the various species they had encountered over the years.

Admiral Johnson wanted to see him after they got back to Earth. Jim was sure all that was going to happen was a commendation for a successful mission, a refit of the Enterprise, and another shipping out to see what was out there. Spock's own ambassadorial skills had surprised the Vulcan. Jim let him take the lead when diplomacy was needed. Jim's shrewd mind, to no one's surprise, was able to realize when to do just that. He even managed to pick up a Betazoid counselor. She was sharp, and open. It was a little unnerving to have someone who could read his mind. Her quick words kept them out of trouble more than once. If they could just get Bera Wanari to think outside the box that said "Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed" bit.

The biggest change to Jim's life was that he had pretty much settled down. He was positive that dying made the difference. He and Dr. Carol Marcus were seeing each other, and, much to his surprise, they had a son, David. He was two years old, and people said Carol was good for him. Jim sighed, he didn't know what was going to happen next, but he knew it should be interesting.

"Captain," Uhura's voice piped into his office. "Fleet Admiral Johnson has beamed aboard, she's on her way to see you."

Kirk was surprised, he was expecting to hear from her over the communicator. The buzzer sounded and he called her to enter. He rose with a smile, "Mary, it's good to see you. Would you like some coffee?"

"No, Jim, I thought I'd deliver these in person," it was a stack of promotions, Uhura's included. He was pleased, until he heard her parting words, "Let me know your decision. I'll be on Earth."

Jim was taken aback. He went through the stack, and stopped, toward the bottom, was his name. He sat staring at it, and was still staring at it when McCoy walked through the door.

"Jim, I got my promotion to Commander! Jim?" he asked. His heart dropped as he saw the certificate in Jim's hand. He pulled it from Kirk's numb fingers, "Rear Admiral James Kirk? You're not going to accept this, are you?"

"My immediate thought is no. Then, I need to know, why me? All right, no one's ever attempted a five year mission, much less bring back their ship and crew back whole, but why me?" Bones' mind flashed back to the conversation he and Spock had had with Admiral Johnson five years earlier about Jim's mind.

Bones reached forward and hit the communications button, "Spock, would you join us in Jim's office?" Soon, Spock and Uhura joined them, McCoy handed them the news. They both took chairs and looked at their Captain. Bones started to fill Jim in on the conversation he and Spock had had with Mary while Jim had hovered near death.

"That's what Chris meant, 'They need me more than I need them'." Jim smiled at his friends, "Something Chris said while I was dead, I think. My memories of that time is a little fuzzy. I do remember talking to him." He leafed back through the stack and handed Uhura a certificate of her own, "Congratulation, Commander."

Uhura's big smile showed her emotions. Jim got up and walked to a window looking out at Earth. "I'm going to have to talk to Carol about this. All I ever wanted was to Captain a ship."

"Jim, it would be a mistake for you to accept a promotion, this is where you belong," Spock spoke.

When Jim spoke to Carol that night, she agreed. As several families had moved onto the Enterprise, she was fine with staying on board. Jim called the Admiral, "I'm sorry, Mary, I can't take the promotion. My place is here."

"I was afraid you'd say that. Alright, Jim, you're still getting a promotion, Fleet Captain. You'll still have the Enterprise, but, I reserve the right to give you a fleet if needed."

Jim grinned, "Are you sure you want to give me that much power?"

"Jim, I wish I had more like you. Chris was right about you, he was rarely wrong. Alright, have a big ceremony tomorrow, for your whole ship, everyone who's getting promoted will get their big day, including you. Then everyone's getting shore leave before you get your new orders."

That night, Jim and Carol had dinner with Nyota and Spock, "Fleet Captain?" Uhura asked. Don't let that kind of power go to your head, Jim!"

Jim looked troubled, "She wanted my mind seasoned and honed. What could she possibly have meant by that? Not the Klingons, surely." Jim couldn't help but think of the Klingons as bullies. They threw their weight around and screamed when they couldn't get their way. The weirdest part was that they valued their warriors so highly, that their scientists were silently defecting. One had done so by transporting directly to the bridge of the Enterprise, and no one noticed until he cleared his throat. Jim nearly jumped out of his skin when the man asked for asylum. Jim understood he had since been adopted by a kitten.

"I'll be joining a science mission for a trip near the Romulan Neutral Zone. There have been rumors about kidnapped Vulcans and missing ships. Maybe even some breeding experiments, which seems strange as to how closely we're related," Spock said. Uhura said she was going to teach some at the Academy. Jim and Carol both were headed for Starfleet Headquarters, Jim would be working with Tactical Operations. Mary, apparently, was hoping that Jim could show people to see the patterns his mind naturally connected together. Jim often compared it to connecting the dots, only, he was the only one who could see the dots.

"Jim, I know this may sound illogical, but, I can't help but feel that Admiral Marcus sent us to Qo'nos to get you killed, specifically. Enterprise's destruction equaling war aside. Your analytical ability may have caused him to feel that you are a threat. Why need a bigger, more powerful ship…" Spock's words trailed off.

"If putting me in charge of a fleet would manage the same thing?" Jim considered Spock's words as he worked on Uhura's salad. "Jealousy, huh?" he squeezed Carol's hand in apology. She squeezed back. "Spock, I was young, headstrong and impetuous. Okay, I'm still those things, but Admiral Johnson isn't Admiral Marcus."

A long silence stretched, "How's your mother?" Nyota asked.

"Oh, fine, Carol and I are taking David to the farm for a visit. She'll enjoy that. David will actually get to see a real cow and he appears to be excited about it. Oh, George is getting married in June, he's invited everybody on the ship."

Carol reflected her relationship with Kirk. He was still a ladies man, loved looking at them, but, as far as she could tell, he'd never strayed from her. On a ship the size of the Enterprise, it would have been hard to keep that from coming out if he had. She didn't mind him looking, and he didn't care if she looked at other men. Theirs was an easy going relationship built on understanding each other. She smiled at him, and he gave an easy going smile in return.

They had been in drydock for a refit only a few hours when Johnson returned to the Enterprise. Spock was promoted to Captain. Uhura, Sulu and Chekov to Lieutenant Commander, and Scotty to Commander. Others were promoted as well, and citations were handed out. "James Tiberius Kirk!" she finally barked out. "You are hereby promoted to Fleet Captain. You remain Captain of the Enterprise, and your command is second fleet. After the Enterprise refit is complete, you have two weeks to rendezvous with the ships of your fleet and meet your captains."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said with a grin.

He walked away as Spock walked up to the Admiral, "I'll get him to accept that promotion to Admiral, yet, just wait and see." Wisely, Spock said nothing, if the only plot they to thwart was getting Jim not promoted to Admiral, he could live with that.

**Yes, I'm showing my prejudices as far as Klingons are concerned. I was bullied as a child, and I can't stand them, I can also recognize them fairly quickly. "Honor" really can only take you so far. The scientist adopted by a kitten; that was an actual book. My favorite scene was he had read up on cats and their needs, gone out and gotten all sorts of food and toys for the baby animal, only to find that it playing with the bags and boxes that carried his haul. Well, it was a cat!**


End file.
